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A few weeks ago, the Chronicle’s Paolo Lucchesi wrote about the arrival of poutine fries at AT&T Park. In the comments, readers noted they were unable to find the poutine vendor and a quick look around other SF websites confirmed the pattern. So I set out last Tuesday evening to find the elusive Canadian treat.

Although several blogposts said poutine would be available “around the ballpark,” I only found one vendor that sold it — the same one that sells Original Joe’s burgers in the corner of the left field bleachers. It’s an easy spot to miss; I’ve included a photo of the location in the gallery above.

I chatted with the very pleasant cashier before the gates opened and he told me that although garlic fries remain the most popular fry-related order, every 3-4 customers at his location go for the poutine option. For the uninitiated, there’s a big orange sign on the wall that describes what poutine is (french fries covered in beef gravy and cheese). Do note that the poutine has nothing to do with Original Joe’s; they’re just responsible for their signature burger.

After a 45 minute wait for the gravy to be retrieved from the warehouse — a mental image I attempted to put far from my mind — my poutine ($7) was ready. It looked as greasy and decadent as I’d imagined although I was disappointed to see that instead of the traditional cheese curds, this version was topped with a smattering of shredded white cheddar cheese.

The first bite was good. The potatoes were nicely fried. My bar was set pretty low for mass-produced beef gravy so that was no huge disappointment either. It wasn’t particularly beefy but it was thick and hot. The cheese faded into the background.

But by about the third bite, the poutine had become so caustically salty that it felt like a cube of salt was lodged above my epiglottis. A little girl sitting nearby started staring at me. I wondered if my pain was showing.

I soon hit upon another problem with the poutine. While garlic fries maintain their intrinsic goodness at lower temperatures, cold, congealed gravy absolutely does not. So on a windy night, you may have to eat your poutine in the shelter of the bathroom.

After a few more soggy, salty bites, I decided that I’d had enough ballpark poutine for a lifetime. As I walked back to my seat, I came upon a wise man eating a Chipotle burrito in the sunshine. I gazed longingly at his tasty, cost-effective meal.

Now there was someone with the right idea.

*This post has been updated to clarify that the kiosk is not an Original Joe’s kiosk; Original Joe’s just has the featured burger at that particular stand; they have nothing to do with the poutine.